Gregor Jotzu named CIFAR Global Scholar

Now in its eleventh year, the Global Scholars program of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) empowers early-career researchers to strive for global impact by supporting opportunities for leadership development and championing bold ideas through global, interdisciplinary collaboration. The initiative enables early-career researchers to expand their professional networks and pursue cutting-edge ideas with CAD $100,000 of unrestricted research funding. Researchers also become full members of a CIFAR research program, gaining access to international networks, mentorship and opportunities for deep interdisciplinary collaboration.

This year's competitive recruitment process generated over 450 applications from 41 countries across the globe – the highest number of applicants in the program’s history. Gregor Jotzu, who joined EPFL in 2023 as head of the Dynamic Quantum Materials Laboratory (DQML), has been named one of three recipients in the category of Quantum Materials.

In his work, Gregor Jotzu uses lasers to investigate how quantum systems become ordered in real time. His research asks why complex systems made up of vast numbers of interacting atoms can behave in simple, reliable and ordered ways – and how quickly that order can form. Using short flashes of light, his lab studies the dynamics of quantum materials and the emergence of order.